W. P. Carey EMBA: The Little Things Have the Biggest Impact

With one semester down and three to go, W. P. Carey Executive MBA student Canden Baker is more than satisfied with her experience in the program thus far. She has been able to balance school with her work and family life, due in large part to the high-touch, personalized services afforded to her by the W. P. Carey School of Business.

“They literally had me at hello,” she says of her first visit to ASU’s Tempe campus. “Every staff member I interacted with was friendly, helpful, and focused on building a relationship with me. They are invested in your success and try to eliminate any potential distractions or barriers that could impede your learning or student experience.”

Canden says the smallest things have had the largest impact.

“For me it was as simple as taking note that my soft drink of choice was not included in their typical stock, and updating their pantry stock to include it,” she explains. “Those small differences make the experience personal. They know me and care about me and that is pretty special.”

Canden is also happy with the EMBA program’s focus on family, because returning to school can be a tricky balance for not only students but the most important people in their lives. “I am very fortunate that I have a family that puts up with me and my relentless pursuit of higher learning and development,” she says. She appreciates being able to welcome her husband and three children to events hosted by the EMBA program (even though Sparky freaked out her two-year-old).

In the classroom, faculty members have been equally amazing.

“They understand the difference between busy work and learning. They are aware of our time constraints, competing priorities, AND the anxiety associated with going back to school,” she says. “The professors are always available for questions or facilitating workshops after normal hours or on the weekends to support and reinforce our learning.”

For Canden, getting her EMBA is about more than monetary gains.

“My return on investment is more intrinsic in nature,” she says. “It’s about setting an example for my colleagues at USAA, that you can balance family, work, and school. It’s about proving to myself and my family, that with the right support you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Lastly, it is about building a strong alumni network to leverage and learn best practices from.”